Apparatus for effecting reactions of hydrogen under pressure.



M. PIER.

^ APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING REACTIONS 0F HYDROGEN UNDER PRESSURE.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1914.

1,1 59,865. I Patend Nov. 9, 1915.

f BNWSWWI rraR/VEY MATHIAS PIER, OF ZEHLENDORF, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS EFFEQTING REACTIONS OP HYDROGEN UNDER PRESSURE.

Specification of Letters. Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application led May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,950.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MATHIAs PIER, subject of German Emperor, residing at Zehlendorf, near Berlin, Germany, have lnvented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting Reactions of Hydrogen Under Pressure; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure'l illustrates, in section one form of apparatus for carrying out my new method; and Fig. 2 is a like view of another form of the apparatus. Y,

In order to protect the highly-heated metal of the reaction apparatus from the deleterious action of the hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gas, it is necessary, as pointed out in my `United States Patent 1090874, dated March 24, 1914, to prevent, as far as possible, the hydrogen coming into contact with said metal. Experience has shown that such metal-parts are, when highly heated, subject to chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen.

The patent mentioned describes one means of assuring' the ydesired result, including inner lreaction vessel composed of material proof after long-continued use against chemicall action by and against leakage therethrough of hydrogen, and, during the reaction, the exterior of such vessel is subjected to pressure exerted by a harmless gas, as

In the use of my present invention, the indiderent gas is not availed of, and a material maintained between the inner and outer vessels is itself proof against chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen. As a consequence, it isa matter of indifference whether the inner vvessel has the characteristics before mentioned.A The inner reaction vessel may consist of metal or of any other material, it being suicient that it shall maintain its shape when highly heated and will not permit leakage thereinto of the surrounding material.

The material between the two vessels may be any that is suitable. For instance, it may, as my experience has shown to be very useful, be analloy' of metals having a low fusing point (lower than that `of either the inner or the outer vessel), the mixture being one which maintains the form of a bath during the heating treatment necessary to bring about reaction and which is proof against chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen. The alloy may be that known as Woods metal, or any other suitable.

In the practice of my new process, the bath protects the outer vessel (usually of 'iron or steel) from contact 'of the hydrogen.

The new process can be carried out in the following manner, referring to Fig. 1 Fused metal D is pouredin desired quantity into the outer vessel A, which may be of steel or iron. An inner vessel B (of metal, porcelain, or other material) is then fitted withiny the outer vessel, and dips into the fused metal, raising the level of the latter to (say) the point e. A flange, b, formed upon the inner vessel (or other. means) sustains the two vessels out of contact so as t'o leave a space entirely around and below the inner vessel. A cover f is then fitted to the appa-v ratus, by means of bolts whichpass therethrough and through a flange, a, formed on the outer vessel. The hydrogen or hydrogen gas-containing mixture will be supplied and drawn olf by means of pipes w' and y.

v Above the level (e) of the bath, the inner vessel has one yor more openings B5, constitutmg a means for connectmg the two vessels,y to balance pressures therein.

In practice, it has been found that the ,upper part of the outer vessel does not reach a temperature suiliciently high to permit the hydrogen to injuriously affect the metal; contact atY` such point may, therefore, be disregarded.

, After the lid or cap f has been bolted on, the vessel is placed under pressure and is heated, from the outside, up to.l the desired temperature. After an'experiment, lasting for a number of days, using an apparatus like that of Fig. 1, and wlth a nitrogenhydrogen mixture of 150 atmospheres and a hydrogen content of 90%, treated at a tem- -perature of 550 C., no alteration of the percentage of hydrogen was noticeable.

Another form of apparatus, also devised by me, for carrying out the new process is shown in Fig. 2, in which both inner and outer vessels (B andsA) are in the form of tubularv bodies eachopen at both ends,

the two vessels being connected at their outer ends (at A2 B2 and at A3 B3) and the outer vessel being spaced away between those ends to provide a long annular chamber D'. As before, the inner vessel may be of any desired material, while the outer one will usually be of steel or -of iron; The material in the chamber D may be' any suitable, providing it is substantially proof against chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen.

In use, both ends of the apparatus of Fig. 2 may be closed by caps f', place by bolts passing througi the caps and through lianges a', a. The casing or outer vessel A may have a hollow extension B4 extending upwardly therefrom, and the metal or other mass may be at the level ce therein. A pipe Y may connect the interior chamber C with the hollow extension B4, at a point above the level e-e-this being substantially the equivalent of the openings B5 of Fig. l. rlhe hydrogen is supplied and drawn oil? fromthe apparatus of Fig. 2, by means of the pipes y and 1/2. Heat is supplied to the apparatus at about A5, while the temperature at the contacting parts A2 B2 and A3- B3 will usually be such that any contact of hydrogen, thereat, with the steel or iron of the outer vessel will not ina jure the latter.

What I claim is:

l In an apparatus for effecting reaction of hydrogen and the like under pressure, an inner vessel, an outer vessel spaced apart from that rst-mentioned, and a mass of material which is proof against chemical action by and against leakage therethrough of h vdrogen, said mass being Iwithin said space and closely embracing the inner vessel.

2. In an apparatus for eiecting reaction of hydrogen and the like under pressure, an inner vessel, an outer vessel spaced apart from that irst mentioned, anda mass of material having a low point of fusion and proof against leakage therethrough of rhy drogen and placed within the space between the vessels. y 3. In an apparatus for effecting reactionY of hydrogen and the like under pressure, an

inner vessel, an outer vessel spaced apart from that first mentioned, and a mass of clamped to.

muaaea metal which is proof against chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen and which is within the space aforesaid and surrounds the inner vessel.

4f. In an apparatus for effecting reaction .of hydrogen and the like under pressure, a

tubular inner vessel open at both ends, an outer tubular surrounding vessel also. open at both ends, a space between the vessels, material proof against leakage therethrough of hydrogen in the space between said vessels, and means for supplying hydrogen to the inner vessel.

5. In an apparatus for effecting reaction of hydrogen and the like under pressure, a tubular inner vessel open at both ends, an outer tube surrounding vessel also open at both ends, the two vessels being in contact at each of their ends, material proof against leakage therethrough of hydrogen in the space between said vessels, and spaced apart between said ends, and means for closing said apparatus at both ends.

6. In an apparatus for effecting reaction of hydrogen and the like under pressure, an inner vessel, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from that first-mentioned, a bath within said space and which is proof against `chemical action by and leakage therethrough of hydrogen, and means connecting the two vessels the upper part of said means being disposed above the level of the bath, said connecting means being so displaced as to allow the equalization of pressure in the two vessels without at the same time allowing thefiow of bath material. from the one ves sel to the other.

,Inftestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v MATHIAS PIER.

Witnesses:

HENRY Hasrnn, WOLDEMAR H aurr. 

